In an era defined by surveillance and uncertainty People Over Papers has emerged as a lifeline for communities navigating the complexities of immigration enforcement. The platform allows users to anonymously submit sightings of ICE agents, vehicles and enforcement actions, which are then mapped and shared with the public. Since its inception in early 2025, it has grown into a crucial tool, providing real-time alerts that help people make informed decisions about travel, work and daily routines.
At its core, People Over Papers embodies a fundamental principle: human lives matter more than bureaucratic documentation. While U.S. immigration enforcement relies heavily on paperwork, this platform prioritizes lived experience and community awareness. Moderators verify reports using metadata, photos, and cross-references with external sources, balancing speed with accuracy.
What began as a simple spreadsheet circulated among TikTok creators has transformed into a nationwide network of advocates, technologists and volunteers. With millions of users submitting tens of thousands of reports, the platform represents a new form of digital civic engagement—one where collective action and shared knowledge are tools of survival. People Over Papers is more than a map; it is a testament to resilience and solidarity in the face of systemic uncertainty.
Origins and Early Growth
People Over Papers originated on social media, where immigrant-rights creators began documenting ICE activity through screenshots and notes. Recognizing the potential to turn anecdotal reports into actionable intelligence, founder Celeste (a pseudonym) transformed these notes into a map on Padlet.
Users could submit sightings with details such as location, date, time, vehicle descriptions, and optional photos. Each submission appeared as a map pin, providing a visual representation of enforcement activity. Early volunteers helped moderate reports, verifying submissions through metadata analysis, reverse image searches, and cross-references with local networks. This combination of crowd-sourced reporting and careful verification quickly made the platform a trusted resource.
By mid-2025, the platform had drawn over seven million unique visitors, demonstrating the urgent need for community-driven surveillance and awareness tools. Its growth highlighted the power of grassroots digital activism, showing how technology could empower communities at the margins.
How People Over Papers Works
The platform operates through a four-step process:
- Submission: Users anonymously report sightings of ICE agents or vehicles, providing photos, descriptions, and locations.
- Moderation: Volunteers verify entries using image metadata, duplication checks, and corroboration with external sources.
- Publication: Approved submissions appear as pins on the map with disclaimers about potential errors.
- Usage: Communities consult the map to plan safe routes, avoid enforcement areas, or coordinate rapid-response support.
By emphasizing caution and verification, People Over Papers balances immediacy with reliability. It encourages users to cross-reference map data with local legal networks or community organizations before acting.
Platform Challenges and Padlet Removal
The removal of the People Over Papers map from Padlet in early October 2025 represented a pivotal moment. For many users, the map was a daily tool, helping people make decisions about commuting, shopping, or avoiding areas where ICE presence had been reported. Its abrupt deletion without notice caused widespread disruption and anxiety among the community that depended on it.
The team responded decisively, launching IceOut.org, a self-hosted platform. Volunteers mobilized to maintain moderation workflows, restore community trust, and ensure continuity. This incident illustrates the tension between public-interest technology and corporate platform control, highlighting the vulnerabilities of grassroots tools.
The People Over Papers experience underscores several lessons for community-focused digital platforms:
- Anticipate the risk of sudden shutdowns or platform censorship.
- Establish self-hosted or alternative infrastructure to maintain operational continuity.
- Maintain transparent communication with the user base to preserve trust.
By converting crisis into opportunity, the People Over Papers team demonstrated resilience and strategic foresight, ensuring that the community-driven map continued to serve its critical role.
ICE-Tracking Tools: Comparative Overview
| Tracking Tool | Platform Status | Verification / Moderation Model |
| People Over Papers / IceOut.org | Web-based map, independent | Volunteer verification using metadata, image analysis, and local network checks |
| ICEBlock | iOS app (removed Oct 2025) | Reports visible for 4 hours in 5-mile radius; no interference allowed |
| ICEwatch (Immigrant Defense Project) | Legacy map, ceased updates June 2025 | Archive-focused, primarily policy-educational, not real-time submissions |
While ICEBlock and ICEwatch offer useful information, People Over Papers distinguishes itself by providing actionable, real-time, community-driven insights. The platform’s emphasis on human safety and immediate reporting complements other tools focused on legal guidance or policy analysis.
Human Impact and Community Significance
The influence of People Over Papers extends far beyond the digital map. In Los Angeles, users report ICE vehicles near workplaces, shopping centers, and neighborhoods, informing daily decisions and helping community members reduce risk. Rapid-response organizations, such as the Colorado Rapid Response Network, integrate map data with legal support and emergency response, combining digital awareness with physical interventions.
The platform also fosters collective agency. By contributing observations, volunteers and users shift the balance of power, turning surveillance tools back onto those traditionally monitored. Stories from users highlight how People Over Papers has directly affected real-world decisions—choosing safer travel routes, coordinating family schedules, and alerting neighbors to potential enforcement presence.
Expert Insights
- Dr. Elena Rodriguez, Sociologist: “People Over Papers transforms traditional surveillance. Communities are no longer passive; they actively observe and protect themselves.”
- James Li, Immigration Attorney: “Crowdsourced reporting strengthens collective safety, but verification is essential to prevent misinformation from creating false alarms.”
- Dr. Nora Salazar, Technology Ethicist: “Balancing open submission with moderation is key to sustaining platforms like People Over Papers.”
These perspectives emphasize the platform’s dual nature as a technological and social intervention, balancing information dissemination with responsible moderation.
Timeline of Key Events
| Date | Event |
| January 2025 | People Over Papers launches on Padlet |
| June 2025 | Platform reaches over 7 million unique visitors |
| October 2025 | Padlet removes map; archived content deleted |
| October 2025 | IceOut.org launches, restoring service and expanding features |
This timeline illustrates both the rapid adoption of the platform and its resilience in the face of disruption.
Lessons in Digital Resilience
The Padlet removal episode offers broader insights into how public-interest technology can survive and thrive:
- Redundancy: Relying on self-hosted platforms or multiple infrastructure layers reduces vulnerability.
- Community coordination: Volunteers and trusted users form the backbone of verification and continuity.
- Transparency: Open communication fosters trust, ensuring users remain engaged during disruptions.
- Adaptability: Expanding features and improving moderation workflows strengthens resilience.
- Purpose-driven focus: Keeping human safety central aligns technological choices with community values.
Takeaways
- People Over Papers empowers communities to prioritize human safety over documentation.
- Volunteer moderation ensures credibility while maintaining rapid reporting.
- Millions of users leverage the platform for actionable, real-time insights.
- It complements other ICE-monitoring tools, forming a layered ecosystem of safety.
- The Padlet removal illustrates the importance of resilience, self-hosting, and contingency planning.
- The initiative demonstrates how digital civic tools can foster agency and solidarity.
Conclusion
People Over Papers exemplifies how technology and community action can intersect to protect vulnerable populations. Its evolution from a Padlet map to IceOut.org demonstrates resilience, adaptability, and commitment to public interest. By prioritizing human lives over paperwork, the platform not only maps ICE activity but also maps a path toward collective empowerment and solidarity.
While challenges—platform censorship, misinformation, and legal gray areas—remain, People Over Papers shows that digital tools, combined with engaged communities, can create effective, ethical, and human-centered solutions. This initiative serves as a model for anyone building community monitoring or mapping tools, illustrating the power of collaboration, foresight, and purpose-driven innovation.
FAQs
What is People Over Papers?
A crowdsourced map allowing anonymous reporting of ICE activity to help communities make safer decisions.
Is the information verified?
Yes. Volunteers check metadata, images, and corroborate with external sources before publishing reports.
Who founded People Over Papers?
Celeste, a TikTok creator, co-founded it with volunteers and remains pseudonymous for safety.
Has the platform faced removal or censorship?
Yes. In October 2025, Padlet removed the map, prompting the launch of IceOut.org.
How can I safely use the map?
Check submissions, cross-reference with local networks, and avoid acting on unverified reports alone.
